The US Geopolitical Codes and Its Influences on the US-Iran Relations: The Case of George W. Bush’s Presidency

Abstract

This paper attempts to explain the US-Iran political relations from the geopolitical perspective. It focuses on George W. Bush's presidency as a remarkable period in two states' relations. Concentrating on the US geopolitical codes, this work aims to study the political leaders' beliefs and also the influences of these ideas on the states' foreign policy. The research also stresses on some of the world's geopolitical changes in the geopolitical world order context. With the end of Iran-Iraq war, inimical relation of the US-Iran was promoting, and it even entered a more critical phase with the occurrence of changes in the US foreign policy towards Iran, when Bush was elected as the US president in 2001 and especially after September 11 th attacks. At this point, Iran was introduced as an "axis of evil" and this asseveration strengthened hostility between the two countries. With the election of Ahmadinejad as Iran's president in 2005, Iran's political behavior also underwent drastic changes. As a result, both countries, based on their leaders' beliefs, pursued their policies in the regional and global level to access to different objectives, in line with the ideas that had been derived from their geopolitical-ideological assumptions.

US-Iran Relations in the Post-Cold War Geopolitical Order

“…Its geographical distribution covers the vast area from the Middle East and Africa to the US backyard in South and Latin America (Naji & Jayum, 2011 This extreme policy was in conformity with Ayatollah Khomeini's approach that had labelled the US as "the Great Satan" and he declared in 1980 that "America can't do a damn thing" (Ganji, 2002, p. 111). It can be noticed that continuing this policy was due to the US threatening Iran over the years.…”

“…In this new condition, it was the beginning of another war close to Iran's western boundaries. The US in fact settled Iran in a geopolitical impasse (Naji & Jayum, 2011). The US invasion of Iraq could be interpreted along with NATO's movement towards the east, the US and Israel presence in Azerbaijan (Lewis, 2006), military presence of the US in Central Asia, the Afghanistan war and US military intervention, and the US military presence in the Persian Gulf countries.…”

“…It also allows the president to outline his/her legislative agenda and national priorities to congress. Clearly, Bush had already separated the US friends from its enemies in the war against terrorism (Naji & Jayum, 2011). He had explicitly noted that: "You are either with us or against us in the fight against terror" (CNN.com, 2001c).…”

“…The frequent presence of Ahmadinejad in Venezuela has always been seen as a response to the geographical and geostrategic siege of Iran. In this context and according to some ideological thoughts, Iran's statesmen have also pursued the global objectives, which are in opposition to the US objectives (Naji & Jayum, 2011).…”

The Geopolitical Factor of Belt and Road Initiative in Latin America

“…In this context, it is denominated geopolitical code the way in which the state orientates itself towards the world (Flint, 2012). The geopolitical codes could be defined as the geographical-political assumption about the interest of any country in the world, the potential threats to these interests, the suitable responses to these threats and the justification for those responses (Naji and Jawan, 2011).…”